Begins with being as Jesus was: close to the Father.
One of the richest and most puzzling words in the Bible, particularly in some passages where Jesus talks about his relationship with the Father is a tiny little word: in. In most common usage we understand it makes obvious sense. In fact I just used it twice when saying, “in the Bible,” and “in some passages.” It locates a word being referenced. Or if I say, “The dog is in her crate,” you can picture that. Or if I say, “The jelly is in the fridge,” you can find it.
But “I am in the Father,” and “the Father is in me”? Not so clear. How can a thing be inside the thing it is already inside of?
A tangible “in” is more easily grasped than a mystical “in”.
There was a closeness between Jesus and his Father that was difficult, if not impossible, to describe. It was so difficult to put into words that the word “in” was the best that could be done. It points toward a bond so tight that it was hard to tell where one began and the other ended, an intimacy so deep that their words and deeds blended together.
“Who said that?”
“We did!”
“Who did that?”
“We did!”
Jesus’ invitation to “do greater things than these” has gotten a lot of airplay in some streams of the church in recent decades. And that’s good. Only let us be sure to invite and adequately train people to be like Jesus was before they do what Jesus did. Doing flows from being, and never the other way around.
